


Setting Examples

by Blue_Velvet_Dark



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Anderson Bashing, Drinking, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Oh My God, One Shot, Pregnancy, Season/Series 03, Shameless Smut, Smut, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-07
Updated: 2014-02-07
Packaged: 2018-01-11 12:55:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1173324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blue_Velvet_Dark/pseuds/Blue_Velvet_Dark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Greg Lestrade divorced his wife and lost a good friend to suicide. In his desperation to drown out his feelings and forget everything, he meets a lovely, young woman. They spend a night together that changes who they are and where they will go.</p>
<p>In the end, Greg will always love his baby.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Setting Examples

**Author's Note:**

> Set in Season 3. If you have concerns about the timeline, I can direct you towards the timeline I used.
> 
> Please enjoy and contact me through comments or at taphophiles.tumblr.com

Gregory found himself more and more often at the pub down the street from his flat, the divorce still reigning over his mind. On Fridays and Saturdays, he always had a nice group to go to different pubs with, have a beer with, get his mind off of his ex-wife. But on the other days he found himself alone, here, making polite conversation with a very understanding but creepy barkeep. He didn’t let anyone know he was slowly drinking himself into alcoholism, though he was sure that it would come out to those who were close to him soon enough.

The pub was a small one, though he lived in a populated neighborhood. The bar was packed tight on the weekends, but today was in the middle of the week, not even eight o’clock yet. It was near empty, he realized as he seated himself at the bar and ordered his first of the night. He took in the few patrons, such as the regular who had already drank himself into ill-health. In some remote part of his brain, Greg knew he was looking at his future, living for the next beer, if he didn’t have a revelation or a change in his life. In the corner, alone, was a man that lived across the street from the Inspector, who had just lost a child to cancer and needed a drink once in a while in a lonely booth. The only woman in the bar was a twenty-something kid who he had seen a couple times, on busier days. The barkeep was talking up a storm, but she was trying her hardest to get him to leave her be.

For some reason, Greg found himself angry as he kept stealing looks to the girl. She was completely uninterested in the barkeep, an old, balding man with a habit of harassing pretty young things with creepy smiles and ‘free drinks.’ She was responding kindly to him, but the way her fists clenched in her lap around her empty beer, the way her jaw flexed, and the way she tugged on a lock of her short brown hair showed how completely uncomfortable she was with his continued presence. She nodded as he wound on about something pointless, looking to the others in the bar to find an escape. When she caught Greg’s eyes, she smiled warmly - no, pleading - and he blinked as he considered his options.

As a man entrusted to uphold the law and protect the citizens, he felt obligated in one part of his brain to steal her away and help her out. But the other side of his brain was screaming at him, “No, Greg, nothing good ever comes from young girls. This is not your division.”

He weighed his options briefly, hand clenched around his beer, and in just a couple seconds, he nodded, smiling back at her knowingly, and slid out of the stool. She looked visibly relieved when he came to stand next to her, extending his hand.

“Hi. Greg.” He said with a white, toothy smile. She gripped his hand firmly and shook it with a squeeze.

“Kate. Please, have a seat.” She said, returning his bright smile.

“Can I get you another beer?” He offered as he sat down beside her, setting his own drink down on the bar.

She blinked a couple times at the offer - surely she should be buying his drinks, since he saved her from the barkeep, but she wasn’t about to turn down a free beer. “Oh, that would be lovely, thank you, Greg.”

“So, what are you doing here tonight?” Greg asked casually after he had gotten her another drink, turning his body towards her.

Kate took a sip - he was a good judge, it was her favorite - and cleared her throat. “Just needed a break after work. I’m not one to sit and watch the telly much, I like to be out of my flat.”

“And what is it that you do, Miss Kate?” Greg said, hoping he wasn’t being too nosey. He liked a bit of company.

She smiled, putting his fears to rest for the moment. “I’m a photographer for the city, mostly publicity pictures, things for the news, tourist brochures. How about you?”

Grinning, always pleased to talk about his position, he reached in his jacket and pulled out his badge. “Detective Inspector Lestrade, homicide division.” His grin only widened when she raised her eyebrows and tilted her head, pretending to be impressed.

“Wow, DI for New Scotland Yard?” She purred, taking another drink. “You must be a very important man.”  
  
“I, uh, I like to think so.” Greg puffed out his chest subconsciously, eliciting a giggle from her. “I’m in charge of a lot, so better keep your behavior in line or I’ll be forced to interrogate.”  
  
“I’m not sure that’s particularly threatening.” Kate laughed, crossing her legs slowly and throwing him a wink. “But I’ll behave, if you insist.”  
  
“Young lady!” He growled in mock offense. “I think I’m just about old enough to be your father, show some respect.”  
  
“Luckily for me, you’re not my father.” She smirked, running her tongue along her teeth and down to her lip before taking another drink. “Is it a crime to like a finely aged gentleman?”

Greg felt a little hot already, so he unbuttoned the top button of his shirt and cleared his throat. That tongue of hers… Nope, no, definitely not his division… yet. “Definitely not a crime.” he choked out.

  
Greg hadn’t lost his touch just yet, he thought as the night went on. He got drunker and bolder the closer it got to midnight, and they chattered and giggled at every little thing they could. He told her stories of being close with the dead detective Sherlock Holmes and his partner-in-justice John Watson. She told him stories of people who came to get erotic portraits done when she was photographing her way through college. He was pleased to find she had a degree and that she was twenty-six.

The clock was getting dangerously close to midnight, and they were getting dangerously drunk and dangerously close to each other. Greg’s hand had found it’s way to her thigh and he was now standing unsteadily, having finished his last beer. When she noticed the hand on her leg, she grinned up at him, and tugged on his shirt to bring him closer.

“So, detective, do you happen to have your handcuffs with you?” Kate whispered to him, drawing her leg up to rub against the outside of his calf and knee.

He was a little too drunk to understand right away, but after blinking off his confusion he grinned and leaned down to her ear. “Not with me, but I do at my flat. Would you like to see them?” That very naughty hand slid it’s way up to her waist and gripped her.

“Oh, yes, please.” She gasped when he pulled her close to him, pressing his lips to hers, unsure at first. When he responded happily to him, he became a little more aggressive and confident, slipping his tongue between hers. He could taste her brand of beer on her lips and tongue as she twisted her fingers into his soft silver hair. Eventually he remembered the bar tab, and had to pull away from her, growling out a promise that he would return soon. He paid both their bills (what a gentleman) but when he turned back she was already up, coming towards him. Jesus Christ, it had been too long since he had seen the look in her eyes.

“Not here,” he hissed before she even got to him. Greg took her by the hand and led her out the door into the cold wet of an October midnight.

“Don’t need a cab, just over here,” He muttered, throwing an arm around her waist. He noticed now how tall she was, just a couple inches shorter than him in her sneakers. If she were to wear heels, she’d easily be taller than him. But he also noticed her curves, her neck, her pink, full lips… so he picked up the pace and ended up at the door to his flat in just a moment. Greg began fumbling with the keys, until he felt her lips press against the base of his neck, making him nearly drop them. “Shit, Kate, if you don’t stop I’m going to take you out here.” he growled to her, finally finding the right key and unlocking the door. The two of them made it inside and shut the door before he had her pinned against the wall, kissing her fervently and grabbing her bum to pull her into him. He didn’t pull his lips from hers as he kicked his shoes off into the corner, tongue slipping between her lips again.

She shuddered as his hands traveled under her shirt to her breasts and he grinned against her lips as he realized she wasn’t wearing a bra. That certainly made his work easier.

“I see that someone has been quite criminal,” Greg whispered hoarsely into her ear as his lips traveled down to her neck. Kate whimpered as he left kisses from the tensed muscle below her ear down to the hollow of her collarbone before pulling her shirt over her head and tossing it to the floor. Her fingers were in his hair as he placed one wet kiss on her nipple, then the other, teasing her as he came back to her mouth.

Her fingers slowly found the buttons on his shirt, barely able to get them undone as her sight swam. But she did, finally, and she peeled off his jacket and shirt in one motion. Greg grabbed both of her wrists and pinned them up by her head against the wall.

“That’s enough of that, luv,” he said, taking her in, his eyes mapping her every curve, the swell of her breasts as her chest rose and fell rapidly, the way she clenched her thighs together in impatient need. With a grin, he pulled her away from the wall and led her down to his bedroom off of the living room, trying to keep the weak-kneed, drunk young girl on her feet. On his way, he grabbed a lovely, shiny, steel thing that was laying on the table. Kate couldn’t immediately tell what it was, but when he pushed her against his bedroom wall and pulled her hands behind her rough enough to make her wince slightly, she figured out that he was handcuffing her like he promised.

He pressed himself against her, pinning her to the wall as he nipped at her neck and shoulders, forcing moans from her lips. She begged him in a whisper to take her, squirming against the erection still trapped in his trousers. He groaned against her neck and, in a wonderfully arousing police fashion, pulled her from the wall to face him, quickly unbuttoning her jeans before pushing her onto his bed, face down. Her hands were bound, so he made quick but sloppy work of pulling off her sneakers and jeans for her, then admiring her choice of pants. Lacey, white, innocent. But look at her now. He helped her onto her knees and unzipped his trousers, lowering them enough that he could remove himself from the confines of his pants.

The image of her near completely nude, in that position was enough to make him twitch with desire. No more foreplay, he needed her right then. He pushed aside her panties and positioned himself, bringing a moan to her lips before he pressed inside. They both gasped as he entered her, slow but satisfying. He sank into her fully, his hands on her hips, jaw clenched. Greg hadn’t slept with anyone in so long, it felt like the first time; wonderful, new, hot. Vibrantly sexy.

He moved within her, and she cried out the most obscene, delicious things he had ever had directed towards him. It was near enough to bring Greg to orgasm then, but he groaned and held out, wanting to please her. He rutted against her, the feel of skin against skin driving them both to moan and gasp and shudder. Greg could feel the back of his mind saying that something wasn’t right, but the wonderful feeling of a woman wrapped around him pushed it back as he thrust deep inside of her, one hand wound in her short hair and the other griping her hip tightly.

It was over soon, Greg unable to take anymore as he found a lovely rhythm and panted as he tipped over the edge, spilling inside of her as he gave a couple short, twitching thrusts. Kate moaned his name as she pressed back against him, desperately trying to get him all inside of her, her voice a whimper against the sheets she was pressed down into. When his head stopped swimming so madly, he pulled out of her and remembered to unlock the handcuffs around her wrists before falling on the bed beside her.

They were silent for a bit, her head resting on his chest as they came down from their high. Finally she leaned up and kissed him very tenderly.

“That was lovely.” She slurred, and he grinned before pulling the blankets out from beneath them and covering them.

“Very,” He responded, arms wrapping around the young woman. It was just a few moments before they were both completely out cold, snoring softly.

 

 

  
Greg’s alarm went off loudly and suddenly in the morning, before the sun began to peak over the London skyline. They both groaned and worked to sit up, having become completely entangled in the night. Greg switched the alarm off and held his head, Kate whimpering as she buried her head back into a pillow.

“Jesus Christ,” Greg muttered, throwing the blankets off of his body. He had squirmed out of his clothes during the night, or perhaps he had woken to take them off. It was very fuzzy, but he definitely remembered Kate and their very lovely night together. If his head didn’t feel like it was going to split in six different pieces, he might even be tempted to joke about having another go. Instead, he stumbled nude out of bed and into the kitchen to down a large glass of water and a ridiculous amount of pain killers. By the time he was done, Kate was coming out of the bedroom, most of her clothes on, shoes in hand.

“I am so sorry, I didn’t mean to fall asleep.” She apologized in a half-whisper, half-whimper. She zipped her trousers and put her shoes on the floor, stepping into them unsteadily. Greg grabbed her arm before she started to fall, and she ended up in his embrace for a moment before he let her go.

“Don’t you worry about it, Kate. It would have been irresponsible of us both to let you walk home. We were… drunk to say the least.” He said, fighting the urge to touch her face. It was a one night thing, she is just a kid compared to you, Greg. His mind was brutal with him this morning, but it had a point.

Kate smiled despite the pain seizing her entire body, running a hand through her hair. “I had fun, Greg. A lot of fun.”

He leaned against the counter, returning her smile as he drank a second glass of water. “Same here. I guess you’ve got to get to work?”

She shifted on her feet, nodding. “Yeah, I’ve got to get changed and grab my camera and the stuff I’ve been working on. I’ve gotta go.”

Greg told her goodbye, gave her a very sincere hope-to-see-you-again, and let her wander out of the flat. He closed his eyes once the door was shut, sighing miserably. It wasn’t so much her in particular, but he missed romance in general. The sex was one thing, but the post-coital entanglement, the sleeping pressed together, the midnight kisses… he missed all that, and he got a terrible reminder of how wonderful it all was last night.

He checked the clock after he stood there thinking for some time, and realized that he needed to shower and get to work before he was late. Going to work hungover was not on his list of super-thrilling things to do, but he wasn’t about to call in sick today and let more paperwork pile up. So, he left for work half an hour later, and pushed through the day. He ignored all of Sally’s quips, cursed loudly at Anderson for all of his stupid Sherlock theories, and ended up asleep at his desk, dreaming of his ex-wife cuddling up to him. When he woke up, he realized… she had never cuddled with him, that it was all just a sour dream.

 

 

  
Murders had begun to spring up as December rolled in, the work piled up, and the headaches reigned. The cold for some reason meant more crime, and so Greg Detective-Inspector-I’ll-Have-You-Know Lestrade was having a hard enough time keeping up with the work load. On the other hand, Sherlock was apparently not dead (a fact that Anderson would not shut up about) so he had a good man, even a friend, back with him on the tough cases. On this particular morning he was about to rip out his hair after coming back from a quite grisly but potentially straight-forward murder scene.

Sally Donovan, his irritating right hand, walked into his office just as he settled down with a coffee. Why the fuck couldn’t she knock?

“Sir, there’s someone here to see you.” She said, a bit breathlessly.

“Tell them to go away, I’m not really interested in seeing anyone if they don’t have information on an open case.” Greg said, sipping his coffee and subsequently burning his tongue.

“She says it’s important.”

With a sigh, he gave her a wave, letting her know that it was fine to let whoever it was in.

Greg was glad he had a grip on his coffee when Kate came in, pulling off her gloves nervously. Sally shut the door behind her, giving them some privacy despite the blinds being open. For a moment, she just stood awkwardly until he cleared his throat.

“Kate, what can I help you with?” He asked, thoroughly confused. Kate sat down in the chair in front of his desk, fumbling with her gloves and just… staring at him. He felt uncomfortable. But finally, after several long seconds of silence, she just kind of blurted out everything on her mind at once.

“Okay, look, I’m not saying you have to get involved, I swear I won’t do anything you aren’t comfortable with. I really didn’t know if I should come at all, I’m plenty sure I can be fine on my own. But I think you need to have a chance at least to decide for yourself, you know? But if you don’t want to get involved I und--”

“Kate, slow down,” Greg said, setting his coffee down and leaning on the desk. “Just explain what’s going on, slowly.”

Kate took several long deep breaths, her face flushed. She hardly blinked as she just stared at him with watery eyes. “Greg,” She whispered, her entire body shaking slightly. “I’m pregnant.”

“What.” It was hardly a question, more of a statement of complete brain shutdown.

“Pregnant.“ She repeated, seeming very slightly relieved to get it off her chest. “I’m pregnant. It’s yours. Surprise.”

He leaned back slowly, taking all of his weight and shifting it to the back of the chair with a low creak. He had one hand resting over his mouth in shock as he processed the new information. How could this happen? No, that was a stupid question, he put his penis in her, of course that’s how it happened. The next question just kind of slipped out.

“Are you sure?”

“Well, I don’t think seven at-home tests would really all come out with a false positive.” She said, her brows furrowed as if she had already weighed the statistical chance that that had actually happened. “I have a visit with my doctor to find out one-hundred percent, but… Yeah, I’m sure.”

Greg closed his eyes. Pregnant. As in, going to have a baby. Apparently his baby? How? No, we already went over how, Greg; penis, remember? Yes, okay. Pregnant. Penis? No, I mean yes. Get it together, Greg.

He was apparently silent for a long time, because she cleared her throat and started speaking again.

“Like I said, you don’t have to be involved if you don’t want to. I can handle things myself. I just thought that it would only be fair if I did give you the chance to be… part of your child’s life.” She swallowed hard, nervously waiting for his response. He really didn’t know what to say so he just kind of gaped at her until something came out.

“I… don’t know.” He said. Silence. He continued. “I can’t really make a decision right now, to be honest with you. I’m just in… wow… shock.”

She nodded solemnly. It wasn’t the answer she had been looking for, so she just stood up. He couldn’t help but stare at her stomach. It looked just as flat as it had been, and it felt completely surreal to think that there was pretty much a human inside of her.

“Well, thanks for seeing me. I’m sorry for just barging in, I just… wanted you to know.” She turned on her heel and opened the door, but he called after her.

“Kate, wait, don’t go.” She turned, and he suddenly realized just how little the English language made sense, but he did his best. “I can’t make a decision yet. I have no idea what to do. This situation is completely new to me, I never even considered the possibility, probably because I’m a fucking idiot. But… Until I can make a decision…” He struggled with his words, clenching his fists on the desktop. “Until I decide what I want to do, I will be there. Doctors appointments and stuff. I’ll go to all of them, I’ll come help you out as much as I can. It’s not a promise, Kate, but I won’t let you go through this alone until we can decide.”

He found himself on his feet, then beside her, then embracing her. She returned the hug even tighter, burying her face into his shoulder as she was wracked with silent sobs. Her knees buckled beneath her, and he helped her to the chair and kneeled in front of her. He didn’t speak, he just wiped off her tears and felt his heart drop. She really was a child, just a young little thing, and now she was hurting. Because of him.

“I’m so sorry, Kate.” He whispered, embracing her again, pulling her close and rocking her back and forth, hoping to soothe her. Eventually she stopped crying and wiped her face on her sleeves.

“No, please, it’s just as much my fault.” Her jaw tightened as she let go of him, sitting back. “Honestly, I’m not so upset. It won’t be so bad. I was just so scared of what you would think. I didn‘t want you to hate me.” She bit her lip in embarrassment, and he couldn’t help but give her a sorrowful smile.

“No, honey. I don’t hate you.” He took her hands in his, stopping her shaking with his panicked calmness. “I’m here for you. I don’t know what I want to do, but I’ll help you. If that’s my baby then I will be there for you.” It was more than obligation, or duty, or loyalty. He was terrified - he wasn’t a dad, and he was actually old enough to be the grandfather, and that in itself was frightening. But on the same coin, it was his baby. Something - someone - she was creating, and it came from him. She seemed set on having and keeping the child, and he couldn’t just let her leave here without at least sleeping on the idea of being a father.

When she stopped sniffling, and her shaking had all but ceased, he leaned up and gave her a kiss on the nose. Very chaste, very fatherly, particularly considering the act that got them here in the first place. “Luv, I have to work, okay? Can you write down your mobile number and your address? I’ll come over as soon as I’m off work. Straight there, no stops.” She gave him a warm smile and nodded, taking a pen and notepad off his desk to scribble out the information.

“Thank you, Greg. It means a lot to me.” She stood up, picking up her camera bag and giving him one more hug. Then she left, leaving Greg leaning against his desk

He stood like that, unmoving, for a while. Sally came in and brought him out of his trance. He almost told her to just get out, but he knew that she was smart enough to work out that something was really wrong if he did.

“Here’s that file Sherlock asked for. Took a lot of trouble to get it, records didn’t want to get it.” She said, eyeing him suspiciously.

“Oh,” He said, having forgotten about the case he was working on, apparently connected to a cold case from six years ago. He took the folder from her, opening it and pretending to read it as he flipped through the pages slowly. “Thanks, Sally.”

She stood there watching him for a moment before asking. “Who was that girl? And why was she such a nervous wreck?”

Greg wasn’t going to tell her, at least not if he wasn’t sure he would stay to become a father. “Just a friend, going through a spot of trouble.” He said vaguely, returning to his chair. He sent a text to Sherlock, telling him that the file was ready for him, convincing himself that all was well and trying to act completely normal.

Sally tried to ask him further, being a nosy little shit, but he just ignored the questions and waved her off.

The rest of the day went by at a crawl in his mind. Sherlock came by, complaining about the time it took to get the document, but solved the case immediately with enough evidence to get an arrest warrant and close two seemingly-hopeless cases. They went out, made the arrest, and he filed paperwork until he had found that he worked well passed his time to leave.

He hadn’t finished the coffee still sitting on his desk.

 

 

  
He came to her flat as promised, just two streets from his own place. She opened the door and welcomed him in with a warm smile, and they sat down together with a cup of tea each, currently avoiding the conversation.

Her flat was small, but well-decorated. Pictures spanned every wall, telling more stories than his brain could comprehend at the moment. The table in front of them was flooded in different cameras, some very expensive, some that any normal person would have, and even one that Greg owned himself. The largest picture was hung between the two windows of the living room, an image of a vibrant but dark path in the forest with a woman laying on the soft earth, a variety of emotions papering her face and body like poetry, hard to read but lovely in composure.

“You took all of these?” He asked, looking around with interest at all of the framed images.

“Oh, yes. This is what I do outside of the pictures I take for work.” She said with a shy smile, enjoying the attention he gave her work. Greg complimented many of them, getting up to wander about and look at the ones that caught his eyes. He was putting off the inevitable conversation they were going to have, hoping to get them both comfortable and capable of conversing without freaking out.

Eventually he came to sit down beside her again, and sighed through the silence. “How long have you known?” He watched her bite her lip and turn towards him. The time had come.

“About two weeks.” Kate said with a hard swallow. She didn’t look him in the eye, sinking back a bit. Greg understood her body language a little too well. He placed a hand on top of hers to reassure her that he was not mad. And that he wasn’t going to hurt her.

“Okay. That’s okay, Kate.” He said gently, giving her hand a squeeze. “How do you feel about it all?”

She finally met his eyes, nodding slightly as she formulated her response. “I’m scared. But, I’m okay with that, I guess? I was really upset at first but now I think I can handle it, and… it won’t be bad.”

Greg acknowledged her, thinking it all over as calmly as he could. He was still a bit light-headed. “And you’re sure this is what you want to do?”

“Yes,” She said, rather immediately. “I thought about the other options, and I’m not morally opposed to them or anything, I just think maybe it’s not for me. And once the baby gets here, I‘ll be attached. I just know it.”

“I understand. I support you, Kate, please know that.” He said, but now he was shaking a little. Christ, it was true, he was going to be a father.

They were silent for a bit, until she took his hand. “Tell me… What are your thoughts?” She asked.

“I’m bloody conflicted, Kate. I barely know you, but I don’t want you to do it alone. I don’t know how I feel about being a father - for fuck’s sake, I’m almost 50.”

She looked a little surprised. “You don’t… I just assumed that you had kids, oh my god.” She jumped up and started pacing the room. “Oh god, Greg. Please, if you don’t want to do this, don’t. I don’t want you to force yourself into fatherhood for me.”

“I won’t.” Greg said, a little louder than he intended. “I won’t. I won’t.” He just repeated it, quieter and quieter as he pulled Kate into his lap, holding her tightly against his chest. “It’s going to be okay, Kate. I will be here, because I want to be here, not because I feel like I have to.” It seemed to calm her down, so he continued. “I will talk to you about my concerns, and then we can make a decision together. Until then, I’ll be by your side any time you need me.”

That was the right thing to do, wasn’t it? It was right for the father to be by the mother’s side, right? He had grown up being taught that, that children were a responsibility of both parents, even when mummy and daddy weren’t together or married. He supposed that’s why they had never had kids. The marriage had always been a little sour, he always feared their divorce. If they would split up, he wouldn’t leave his kids with her, he would have to go to them. Not to mention, they were not in love enough to desire children with each other.

Kate wrapped her arms around him, just holding tight to him. This was okay, Greg thought. She was a sweet girl, so far. He could do this, he was sure, but he couldn’t make promises to her if he wasn’t convinced he was prepared to keep them.

“Thank you, Greg.” She breathed, sitting up and letting her fingers find his cheek, her thumb stroking the light stubble on his face. Kate kissed him, very gently, and Greg found himself responding carefully to her. This was also okay.

With some effort, she removed herself from his lap and into the seat beside him, picking up her tea again. Greg took in a deep breath.

“Right, we can do this.” He said, though he was still nervous and confused and his stomach was still a ball of heavy emotions. “When is your first appointment?”

“Tuesday, at eleven thirty, if you can’t make it, th--”

“I’ll be there, luv.” He said with a very genuine, but tired, smile. “I’ll be honest, I’ve got no idea what goes on in a woman’s body. I’ll probably have more questions than you, so going with you will be… good.”

Kate seemed really pleased with that and put one long hand on his knee. “Lovely. I’ll text you the address, okay?”

Greg made a mention that he needed to get home and stew in the news, so she walked him to the door. He leaned in and gave her a surprisingly loving kiss at the threshold, running his fingers through her short, choppy brown hair. Then he left.

Surprisingly, he slept very well and didn‘t dream.

 

 

  
Tuesday came. Greg had already scheduled that he would be off of work and to please not contact him unless there was an emergency. He did not tell anyone about Kate or the baby-to-be, as he still hadn’t come to a decision. Sally had noticed something was up when he was all too happy to go out with actual people over the weekend, though not even he could tell if that was out of needing an escape, or whether he might actually be… happy.

His head was fuddled and messy and out in space. But when he showed up on Tuesday to the surgery, he was clear-headed and his heart was beating fast and skipping and fluttering. She was sitting cross-legged in the lobby when he came in, looking nervous and so relieved to see him. He took her hand and laced his fingers into hers, talking quietly.

“How are you feeling?” He asked, still hardly believing she was pregnant. But he supposed he wouldn’t be able to deny it after today.

“Tired. Gross and sick-feeling, to be honest.” She said with a nervous giggle. She looked to their entwined hands, unable to look him in the eyes.

“You’re doing very good, little Kate.” He said with a kiss on her forehead. He ignored the looks he was getting from the other parents-to-be in the room, who clearly noticed their age difference. It bothered him, to be sure, but he wasn’t about to take a bunch of shit from these people.

When they called her back, they did a variety of testing, taking blood and urine samples and a more thorough medical evaluation than he was expecting, even asking him questions about his family when they realized he was the baby’s father and not Kate’s. By the end of all the examinations Kate felt like a pin cushion and was exhausted, but they determined she was just under 9 weeks pregnant, which confused the absolute hell out of Greg until they explained they calculated it from the start of her last period.

Then came the ultrasound. He found himself nervous as she laid up on the table and a creepy jelly was put on her belly. This really was it, he thought. This was his final confirmation that he was actually going to be a father. He tried to ignore the fluttering of his heart, focusing on her face as she watched the screen light up with the black and white ultrasound. The technician was chatting on and on, and he ignored every bit.

But then there came the noise. It was quick, repeated blips, like something underwater.

“And there’s the heartbeat...” The technician said, snapping Greg’s attention to the screen. There were too many readings to understand, but that noise made his own heart skip a beat.

“Heartbeat?” He repeated breathily, squeezing Kate’s hand.

“Oh, yes. The baby is too small to get a clear sound, but it looks to be normal, no cause for any worries.” The tech said absentmindedly. Then she began pointing things out, keeping Greg’s attention. She pointed to a part of the blurb, saying it was the head, and then a faint white circle around the blurb, saying it was the amniotic sac. It took a second for him, but he recognized it finally. There was the head, and he could make out a little stub of an arm, curled up legs…

“Kate…” He whispered, his shoulders slumped as he stared at the screen. “Oh my god.”

Kate laughed. “What is it, Greg?”

“That’s a bloody baby!” He gaped at her, the corners of his lips twitching up slightly. “That’s… that’s our baby. Oh my god.” He couldn’t help but smile at her, taking deep breaths as his head swam. Then it was her turn to squeeze his hand.

The technician went on and on. She confirmed Kate was eight weeks and six days pregnant, based on the measurements. “Baby is just at 2.5 centimeters long.”

“You’re kidding me! The little shit is only an inch long and I’ve already put on half a stone!” Kate laughed happily. Greg realized that he hadn’t seen her smile so brightly since the night he met her, and that pervasive knot in his stomach loosened considerably.

When it was over, Kate cleaned the jelly off her tummy, and Greg just stared. As much as he willed himself, he couldn’t see any change in her size, but he knew now that there was actually a baby in there. His mind was spinning, and he couldn’t stop smiling. He didn’t even realize he was doing it until Kate noticed and told him he looked like he was having a good time. He just shrugged and said that he thought he might be.

The technician checked her calendar, then told them the baby would be due on the sixteenth of July, and that just put Greg over the moon. Now he had seen his baby, and he knew when to expect to hold him or her. He and Kate left hand in hand, quite an odd couple.

“I think you might be a little excited,” Kate said, turning to him when they got out on the pavement.

Greg raised his eyebrows and just shrugged again. He knew that his face was betraying him. “It’s just… that’s my baby. It’s like, a real thing now.” He thought for a minute, staring into traffic as he just shook his head in disbelief. “I love him, Kate. Or her. I love our baby.”

Kate’s arms were around his neck in an instant, and he could feel her heart beating rapidly against his chest as she pressed herself close to him. “I’m so glad, Greg. I was worried you wouldn’t.”

“I didn’t think I was going to.” He admitted, placing his arms around her. He kissed her forehead and then her cheek. “But I do. I’m at a loss, I wasn’t prepared for this at all. I think I might actually be a bit excited.”

Kate laughed and let go of him, biting back a big smile. Her skin was flushed with joy and her eyes sparkled. Yes, he could definitely do this, and even be happy about it, he decided as he hailed a cab for the two of them.

They both had the rest of the day off, so they went out to lunch at a little café near their flats. Kate ended up not able to stomach much more than a few chips and a couple bites of a sandwich, but she was in a good mood. They went to Regents Park instead of going home, where Kate took many wonderful pictures of the snowy grounds and the cold lake. She even managed to snap one of Greg when he stopped to pet a stray cat that wandered up to him. Eventually, they made it back to his flat, and they made love properly for the first time before settling in to watch the news and then heading to bed. Together. And that felt okay.

 

 

  
Despite the vomiting Kate did that morning (and the middle of the night), he went to work with a spring in his step and a smile on his face. He was even nice to Anderson for all of four seconds until he mentioned that Sherlock was there going through more case files. Then Greg started cursing and ran off to his office, trying not to spill his coffee.

It was true, the dark, lanky detective was in his office, propped up in Greg’s chair with his feet on the desk, flipping through a stack of files. John Watson, Soon-To-Be-Married-But-Still-Helping-Out, was there as well, sitting cross-legged in a chair trying to plow through a sixth of the files that Sherlock was tossing aside.

“What in the bloody hell are you doing in my office? Get out of my chair.” Greg scoffed, motioning for Sherlock to move out from behind Greg’s desk.

“There’s a seat right there, I’m busy.” Sherlock said in a low, flat voice. Greg gaped at him, looking from him to John. John gave him an apologetic look but just shrugged.

“It’s my fucking office. _Up._ ”

With a great, heaving sigh, Sherlock got up and looked at Greg for the first time since he came in. His eyes narrowed and he quickly looked to John. “What’s wrong with him?”

“What are you talking about?” Greg snapped, pushing past him and taking his seat.

“For the past week you’ve been slouching and smelling of the most atrocious beers you can find. You haven’t been careful with your shaving and you hadn’t been sleeping well.” Sherlock said in one easy breath, putting a couple of the folders he was looking at under his arm. “But now you are well-rested, clean shaven, and don’t smell like a college party. Like I asked, what is wrong with you?”

“Sherlock, that’s rude.” John said, though his voice said that he had given up on trying to keep his friend from saying and doing stupid and insensitive things.

“So?”

Greg just sighed. They were going to find out anyway, especially Sherlock. Nothing was going to get past him for long. He tried to think of the way to say it but it all just came spilling out of his mouth. “I’mhavingababy.”

“What.” John said, not a question. Sherlock lost grip of the folders under his arm and nearly dropped them, catching them just before they all flew apart like confetti.

“Um.” Greg was suddenly aware of his skin getting hot. “I’m going to be a father.” He felt like an imbecile, but Sherlock just sat down. No quips.

“You haven’t mentioned seeing anyone. I mean for God’s sake you literally just got divorced like three months ago.” John said, and Greg couldn’t tell if he was offended or just surprised.

“It was… an accident.” He said, clearing his throat and unbuttoning the top button of his shirt.

“It was drunk.” Sherlock clarified for him, definitely in shock. “I thought you didn’t want kids.”

“I never said that!” Greg spat. He felt like a rat, backed into a corner. “I just didn’t want kids with my ex-wife.” His face was getting redder by the minute.

John sighed, and nodded. “Alright. So, who is she?” Greg fumbled with his phone for a few seconds then handed it to him, showing John and Sherlock the picture he got of Kate yesterday at his flat, sipping her tea and fiddling with her camera.

“Her name is Kate Gordon. She’s a photographer, very sweet girl.” He swallowed hard as John handed him back his phone.

“She’s also really young, Greg.” John said, blinking at him.

Greg nodded. No denying that. “Yeah, she’s… twenty-six.” He said the number very quietly, fighting the urge to cough nervously. Sherlock and John were just staring and that made him uncomfortable.

“And you’re… happy about this?” Sherlock said, as if the idea of the entire thing was completely and totally ridiculous and he wanted nothing to do with it.

“Well, I wasn’t at first,” Greg said defensively. He swallowed hard again. “But we had an ultrasound yesterday, and I… It’s just different now. I don’t really understand it.” That was true, he was confused as hell. He both enjoyed and cringed at the following silence, sipping his coffee and pretending that the conversation was normal.

Finally John spoke up. “Well, good for you, Greg.”

“Good for him? He--”

“Shut up, Sherlock.” John told him before he could continue. He looked back at Greg. “You… Should bring her to the Christmas party, if she feels up to it. I’ll make sure we have something nonalcoholic to drink.” He seemed to be accepting Greg’s news at least a little bit more now, so the detective relaxed a bit, sipping his coffee.

“I’ll see if she wants to, I don’t really know how comfortable she will be meeting my friends just yet.” Greg said, leaning back comfortably. “It’s at your and Mary’s flat this year, right?”

“Yeah.” John said shortly.

They switched the conversation around quickly, discussing the development in a case involving the murder of two people killed, their badly mutilated bodies set up in a scene and photographed. The image was circulating the internet and causing a stir, but they had yet to catch the uploader or the killer (Sherlock had determined they were two different people somehow).

There was still tension in the room when they finished up and left. But the tension really hit hard when Sally almost took the doors off the hinges.

“What the fuck do you mean you’re having a baby?” She demanded, hands on her hips. The color was absolutely drained from her face.

Greg was a bit taken aback by her abrupt, and very loud, entrance. “I… I’m going to kick Sherlock’s ass.” He hissed out, mostly to himself, then looked to Sally and tried to make words come out of his mouth. “Yeah, I’m going to be a father.”

“It was that kid that came in here last week, wasn’t it? You fucked some kid!”

“She’s twenty six!” Greg shouted, a bit fed up with Sally’s annoying, stupid voice.

“You’re too old for this bullshit!”

“It’s none of your business!” He jumped out of his chair, officially mad. “If you don’t stop shouting I’ll make sure you get transferred elsewhere.” She shut her mouth, jaw clenched tight, nostrils flaring, and turned and stormed out with a slam of the door. Greg sat back down, groaning in irritation. He sent a text to Kate.

_My coworkers found out. Whoops. - GL_

Her response was very quick.

_Good. I‘ll bring lunch. - KG_

 

 

  
“Are you sure I’ll be welcome?” Kate said, looking at herself in the mirror and trying to decide if she was comfortable in this dress. It was loose over her tummy, draping down to her knees, but she wasn’t used to wearing things so light and flowy. She flattened it over her stomach and pouted.

“Absolutely.” Greg said, pulling on his shoes. “Good grief, look at that face. What’s wrong?” He got up and threw his arms around her waist, hands flat on her stomach.

“I don’t even look pregnant, I just look like I’ve had too many chips.” She sighed, sticking her tongue out at her reflection.

He rested his chin in the crook of her neck. “I think you look wonderful. And I think this,” he rubbed his hands on her tummy gently. “Is beautiful. Even under your clothes.”

She growled at him and turned to kiss him on the temple. “You’re ridiculous, Gregory Lestrade. Let‘s go before I take that to mean you like it better when I‘m undressed.”

“Oh, in that case, forget the party, Christmas will be here next year!” Kate started giggling and managed to pull herself away from him and get to the door.

“Old man, you can wait until tonight.” She teased, slipping into her shoes and grabbing her camera bag. She insisted on bringing it, in hopes that someone would let her snap pictures of them enjoying the party.

Once they got to the party, Kate had memorized the names of everyone who might be there. There was Sherlock, who she should try not to punch in the face but it wouldn’t hurt Greg’s feelings if she did, and John and Mary. Then there was Mrs. Hudson, and Molly Hooper and her boyfriend Tom. Mycroft might show up, and she should definitely not punch him.

They entered into John and Mary’s lovely little flat, Greg welcomed with hugs and Kate greeted… also with hugs, which was surprising for her. Greg had told her that John and his bride were loving people but she didn’t expect to be embraced by Mary on their first meeting. It made her feel at home.

There was a fire going, gently filling the flat with warmth and soft light. The smell of food, the fruity punch, and gas was overwhelming to Kate, though Greg hardly noticed the mixture. They seemed to be the last people to arrive, and Kate was quickly introduced in turn to the guests. She was relieved when the only thing Sherlock “deduced” outloud was that she might need the bathroom soon, and pointed to where it was. He was right, and she excused herself quietly a few minutes later, feeling embarrassed to vomit in someone else’s home. No one seemed to care, if they noticed at all.

When she returned, Greg was chatting with John and Sherlock, so she just got herself a cup of water and spoke momentarily with Mrs. Hudson, a kind, gently old woman with more wisdom about life than Kate could believe. She quietly mentioned that if Sherlock gave her any trouble, Kate could tell her and she would bump up his rent. With a wink and a precious smile, she tottered off to assist Mary in the kitchen, leaving Kate alone and feeling out of place.

“Are you and Greg together?” Kate looked over to the speaker, a small, meek woman. Molly, she had been introduced.

“Haven’t you heard, Molly?” Kate said with a grin and a sip of her water. “Greg and I are having a baby. I mean, it was an accident, but we’re excited.”

“Oh, no, I haven’t been told!” Molly gasped, taking her unoccupied hand. “That’s so lovely. How far along are you?”

“Eleven weeks tomorrow, thank you.” Kate said, smiling brightly. She liked Molly, she was bubbly and friendly but maybe a little hurt inside. Kate squeezed her hand.

“When will you find out if it’s a boy or a girl? Or do you not want to know? I’m sorry, I’ve never been pregnant, I don’t know any of this stuff.”

“No, you’re fine, sweetie. It will be about another nine or ten weeks, I think. I’m not sure if Greg want to know, but I do.” Then, looking around and raising her shoulders secretively, she leaned in to Molly to whisper. “I hope it’s a boy. I think Greg would be a wonderful role model.”

Molly squealed and threw her arms around Kate, barely missing the cup in her hand. Kate couldn’t help but laugh.

“Oh, you’re so right, Greg would be a wonderful father.” She said, holding Kate at arms length. “He’s loyal and gentle and… You’re lucky it was him, he’s just lovely.”

Kate looked at the floor, embarrassed but happy. “Yes, I am very lucky.”

“Are you having a baby shower?” Molly asked, looking Kate over. Her eyes lingered on her belly, but the dress was too loose to tell if she had a belly at all, so she turned back to her face.

“Yeah, my friend Laura is planning it. We’re having it on a Saturday in May, but no set date yet.” Then as an afterthought, realizing why Molly was asking, she added, “Would you like to come?”

Molly lit up like a light bulb. “Oh, yes! Please, let me give you my number!” Kate pulled out her phone and put the number down in her contacts, then sent Molly a text so that she could have her number as well.

“Also, Molly,” Kate said, a bit nervously. “I’m always in need of someone to be friends with. If you have a free day here and there, I’d really love to have you over. Maybe you can help keep me out of the ice cream.”

Molly laughed and gave her a nod. “Of course. That would be wonderful.” Tom, who looked oddly like Sherlock, came and put his arm around Molly’s shoulders. “Oh, hi Tom. Kate just told me that she and Greg are having a baby, isn’t that lovely?”

Tom suddenly looked nervous, as all men do when the word “baby” slips out of their girlfriend’s mouth, regardless of context. “Oh, yes. Very wonderful, congratulations.”

Soon enough, Tom whisked away Molly. Kate spoke to Mary and John, who congratulated her on the pregnancy and told her they were always available to help out, then had an argument over the supposed frivolity of her photography with Sherlock, before ending up at Greg’s side. He gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek and a quick squeeze.

“Lookie there, Kate,” He said, holding up his watch. It was just breaking midnight, and she had spent the entire night talking and enjoying herself and taking a few pictures of the guests and the decor. “Happy Christmas, little dove.”

She wiggled against him with a grin. “Happy Christmas to you, too. I better get you home so I can give you your present.”

“Is that so?” He said with a smirk. She loved the look on his face, because he tried so hard to look ‘sexy,’ but he always looked innocent in some strange, police way. But, that was that, he had apparently decided. They wished everyone well on their Christmases, claiming exhaustion and got-things-to-do-in-the-morning, and got back into Greg’s car.

Their sex life had been admittedly slow, and Kate had apologized every time Greg had tried to come onto her in the past two weeks. She felt sick and fatigued all the time and just not in the mood, but Greg would just give her a kiss and tell her it was okay when he saw her begin to tear up.

But she wasn’t about to pass up the chance to give him a present he would actually enjoy. Plus, she was a bit in the mood, which she let him know with a terrible little hand on his thigh as he drove. Twice he moved her hand from his leg, growling about being distracted, but she was having none of it. Eventually he let her keep her hand there, growling in his throat when her fingers brushed up and over his hardening member. She went no further, though, knowing he was already eager enough to get home that he was driving a bit recklessly.

When he herded her into his flat, his hands and lips were instantly on her, kissing her deeply and holding her to him. When she teasingly resisted his attempts to steer her into the bedroom, he nipped playfully at her neck and picked her up. She wrapped her legs around him and giggled into his lips as he carried her easily to the bed, where he set her down and crawled over her. She was smitten with how gentle he could be, even as he pinned her hands above her head and left love bites on her collarbone. He swiftly took off her boots before running his hands up the length of her legs to her hips, gripping her as he kneeled over her and whispered things in her ear that made her moan and arch up to him.

He could have her panting without touching her, and she loved that about him. He knew good sex, and it made her sorely regret not having him for dessert every night. Tonight he didn’t let her touch him, telling her to keep her hands to herself and let him do what he wanted. He removed her dress and bra, letting his fingers trace over every curve and swell of her body, except her tummy. She furrowed her brows, feeling self-conscious, that maybe he didn’t want to touch her there because he no longer found her attractive. Her fears were put to rest as he kissed from the red spot on her collar bone, down between her sore breasts, and to her stomach, where he lingered as his fingers curled around the waistband of her pants. She really wasn’t showing that much, she thought, just a little more round and bloated looking, but the way he paid attention to that area, even as he pulled off her knickers and tossed them aside, made her feel like a princess. A pregnant princess, but still a princess.

“Remember,” Greg whispered to her as his mouth left her stomach. He had a grin plastered on his face that confused Kate. “Hands to yourself.” His meaning became immediately clear as he dipped his head between her legs and ran his tongue along before settling on her clitoris. She breathed in sharply, and fought the urge to tangle her fingers in his gray hair. Instead she chose to bite her knuckles and grip the sheets with her other hand. Kate cried out his name as he pressed two fingers inside of her, his tongue forcing whimpers out of her. It wasn’t long before she hissed and writhed under him, her body shuddering as he brought her over the edge. He pulled away from her, fingers in his mouth as he took in her body, splayed out before him in post-orgasmic bliss. But of course he wasn’t done with her quite yet.

He pulled off his shirt and trousers and came back over her, kissing her gently on the lips. Kate moaned into the kiss, wrapping her legs around his and pressing herself into him, frustrated with the cloth that separated them.

“You’ve done well. What a good girl.” He whispered in her ear as he pressed back to her, teasing her as she begged for him.

“Gregory Lestrade,” She hissed in mock anger. “In me, before I scream.”

“I might want you to scream,” he purred, licking down the tense muscle in her neck. She whimpered at the warm touch. Eventually he quit teasing her and pulled off his pants before sinking into her fully. They both let out a groan of satisfaction as he started his motion, her rocking back at him in desperation. Her hand snaked between them to her clitoris, despite still being sensitive, and her other hand found the back of his head and pulled him into a rough, sloppy kiss. She quickly boiled over again between his motions and her own direct stimulation, and it wasn’t long before he was groaning into the kiss, thrusting inside of her again and tensing as he came into her.

When he pulled out of her and fell to the side, she began giggling.

“Good god, Greg.” Kate turned to face him, reaching up to wipe the sweat from his brow. “Happy fucking Christmas.”

He couldn’t help but give a fatigued laugh at the pun, then he pulled her into a hug as their hearts stopped pounding. “Oh, I needed that.” he muttered into her hair.

“I’ll be sure to repay you for that torture.” She threatened, wiggling away from him to go clean herself up. When she returned, he was fast asleep beneath the blankets, so she snuggled in beside him and kissed him goodnight.

He woke up to soft lips, gentle hands, and hot, sloppy revenge. Greg ended up late to the family Christmas dinner, his tie barely on.

 

 

  
Detective Lestrade found out quickly that pregnancy hormones were a complete and total bitch. While for the most part, Kate was sweet and loved to smile, any little thing could cause that all to change. Some days she could watch the saddest movie she could find and feel nothing, whereas other days she sobbed at a cute kitten that meowed as she passed it on the street. Likewise if he made an off-hand comment it could result in laughter or rage.

He learned to deal with it, especially when she would crawl into bed and pepper him with kisses as she straddled his waist, begging his forgiveness for being so mean to him. He would readily forgive her and hold her close to him.

But to be completely honest, he got a lot of joy out of the completely ridiculous things she would text him when she was moody. Messages like “I want Hitler to be alive so I can punch him in the dick repeatedly” and “but why aren’t unicorns real?” made him laugh in the middle of an investigation. He never knew what Kate was going to do or say next and it was terrifying and exciting.

Mostly terrifying, he realized when she visited him one day while he was in the office.

She worked almost entirely contractually, meaning there was no set time she worked, and she could be asked to photograph some event at short notice. That also meant that she had a lot of time that she didn’t know what to do with, so she stopped by often. His coworkers cooed over her belly by this point in her pregnancy, just over eighteen weeks.

She slipped into his office without prior warning, surprising him as he wrote up a report. “Kate, what are you… Oh, honey, what’s the matter?” Her eyes were red and puffy and she was clenching a tissue in her hand. Immediately she had her arms around him and was sitting in his lap, trying not to burst into tears.

“Oh, Greg,” She whimpered over and over, sniffling and shaking. He was becoming so worried, not used to seeing her in this much of a state.

“Luv, tell me what’s wrong.” He whispered into her hair, which had grown out rapidly thanks to her vitamins. She took his wrist quite roughly and placed his hand on her belly, holding it there with a vice grip as she kept sniffling, refusing to speak. “Kate, darling, you’ve got to speak, I don’t know what to…” he trailed off, his heart fluttering. “Oh… oh my god.”

She burst into new tears, and he realized with a sudden jolt that she was happy, not sad. Beneath his hand, there was a tiny, fluttering feeling. He could barely feel it, but he was sure she could. “Greg, the baby is moving!” She choked out. “I thought I was feeling something, but I couldn’t tell, but now… Oh, Greg!” She wrapped her arms around him again.

Greg smiled, unable to take his hand off her belly. Faint, random, far-between movements graced his palm, sending shivers over him. The first time he was feeling his child move… He kissed her very suddenly and put her up on his desk. He kissed her belly through her shirt, then kissed her lips again. “Oh, my sweet little one,” he said, taking her face in his hands and wiping away her tears. “Thank you for coming, please don’t cry. Smile, Kate, this is so… so wonderful.”

She nodded, and choked out a bit of laughter as she ran her fingers through his hair. “Oh my god, we’re having a baby.” She said, grinning as if it were new information. He couldn’t help but chuckle as he kissed her again.

“Yes, Kate, we are having a baby.”

 

 

  
Kate’s second ultrasound was here, and Greg did not want to be there.

“I don’t want to know the sex, Kate.” He complained as she dragged him into the surgery.

“Alright, fine, you can leave when she tells me. But you have to be here, you made me fat.” With a groan, he agreed, and sat down with in a huff while she signed in. “Oh, don’t you be mad, you little shit,” she teased as she sat down beside him. He pretended to be mad, but his hand found hers and he sat there with a pout, fingers entwined.

“If you tell me, I’ll arrest you.” He threatened, but she just grinned and crossed her fingers as she promised not to.

They were called back, and the doctor asked her another hundred thousand questions about everything from nausea to bathroom habits to sex. They took blood and did an exam, then they began talking about her birth plan.

“Are you still sure you want to do a natural birth?” The doctor asked her, his brows raised. So many new time mums wanted it but when it came time, they begged for the drugs.

“Yes, and before you say anything, I know it will hurt like hell.” She said, shrugging. “But unless there’s an emergency, I want it natural. No epi, no induction, in a birthing pool.”

The doctor shook his head and sighed in Greg’s direction. “Your girlfriend is a nut.”

“Oh, I know.” Greg smiled when she hit him on the back of the head. “But she is strong as hell, doctor.”

“Let’s hope she is. Are you ready to find out the sex, Kate?” He said as he stood up, inviting her down the hall to the ultrasound room.

“Oh, yes, I’m so excited.” She said, wiggling off the exam table and following the doctor. “But Greg doesn’t want to know. He thinks it’s more fun to have a surprise.”

“A popular choice.” The doctor shrugged, and left them in the care of the ultrasound technician.

Kate laid up on the table, shirt raised and the waistband of her trousers lower to expose her belly fully. The tech looked so pleased.

“Oh goodness, look at that belly!” She said, clapping her hands together. “You’re carrying high, it looks. You know what they say about that.” She grinned and Kate put a finger to her lips.

“Shhh, _he_ doesn’t want to talk about the sex.” She rolled her eyes, and the tech laughed heartily.

“That’s just fine. Daddy, if you would like to leave, we‘ll be done in just a moment. Just going to check the size of baby and how he or she is doing.”

  
Greg stood up, and gave Kate a kiss on the forehead. “Remember, keep it to yourself, I’ll find out when you pop ‘em out.” Kate grinned and kissed him back, then waved him out, eager to find out whether she needed to buy pink or blue.

  
He stepped into the hallway, shutting the door firmly behind him. While he waited, he couldn’t help but pull out his cell phone and check to see what “carrying high” meant. One website claimed it meant she would have a girl, and another said it meant a boy. That was no help, so he tucked his phone back in his pocket and waited patiently. The minutes ticked by, and he just stood with his back against the wall, checking his watch over and over until the door finally opened and she teetered out with a huge smile on her face.

  
“Don’t even open your mouth!” He warned, taking her hand and leading her to leave.

  
“Oh, I’m so excited, Greg. It’s just so lovely.” She said, standing with him as he tried to stop a cab. They both had to head off to work, having only arranged for the morning off to see the doctor and get the ultrasound done.

  
“I am warning you,” He grinned, wagging a finger at her. She giggled, but changed the subject to keep from getting in trouble. She told him the rest of the ultrasound. Baby was growing fine, right on track. Strong heartbeat, in a good position. She was so excited at being halfway done with the pregnancy - just another twenty weeks, give or take a couple.

She went off to work, camera around her neck, and he ended up at a crime scene. It was strange how much he was grateful for a good murder now and then, just to get his mind off of baby this, baby that. But now not even dead bodies and Sherlock Holmes were keeping his coworkers off his back. They all somehow (Fuck you Anderson) knew that the ultrasound was today and kept bugging him, trying to find out about the sex. Finally he just stopped everyone in the middle of the bloody room.

“If you ask me the sex of the baby again, I will clock you. I don’t know, I don’t want to know, I’ll find out when she has the baby.” He said gruffly, putting it to a rest. The rest of the day was filled with investigating, so he finally thought he might get a break.

Nope. His brain was now betraying him, and he kept wondering. By the time he got to Kate’s flat, later than usual, he wanted to know the sex as well. She was snuggled up in bed with her phone, texting Molly, who she had become fast friends with. Greg settled in beside her after changing into his pjs.

They didn’t speak for a good while, her cell phone dinging every couple seconds, and him twiddling his thumbs and staring at the ceiling. Finally he couldn’t fucking take it anymore. “Kate, goddamn it, is it a boy or a girl?”

She looked at him in shock, then put her phone down. “Greg, I hope you’re not disappointed.” She started off with a completely serious sigh. “We’re having a dragon.”

Greg narrowed his eyes at her. “The fuck, Kate?” He growled, furrowing his brows. She laughed and climbed over him, straddling his waist. She took his hands and placed them on her tummy.

“You sure?”

“Yes, I’ve changed my mind. I just want to know.”

She bit her lip in excitement, squirming on top of him. “Okay. Gregory Lestrade, you are going to have a son.”

He immediately pulled her down into a rough, joyful kiss. He would have been just as happy with a baby girl to spoil, but just knowing… it was like a reminder that this was actually happening, that they were having a baby.

When he went into work the next morning with a dopey smile, he was all too eager to tell anyone who came past him that he was having a baby boy.

His name was going to be Daniel.

 

 

  
A late flu was sweeping through London, and it had taken Greg (fuck you Anderson). He made sure Kate hadn’t come over as soon as he realized he was sick, but didn’t wait long enough after. She had been bedridden for several days now, but the doctor wasn’t worried. John came over a couple times to make sure she was getting better, but Greg worried his poor little heart out still.

Most of her symptoms went away after the fever settled, but John made her stay home for at least another couple days to be completely sure it was all out of her system.

Greg came home from work to find her laying on the couch, feet up on a tower of pillows, with her laptop balancing on her ever-growing belly. He leaned over the edge of the couch and gave her a very sweet kiss.

“What are you doing just lounging around all day?” He teased, taking off his jacket and coming to sit on the couch, picking up her feet and laying them on his lap instead.

“Well _someone_ made me too sick to go into work for a bit so here I am, looking at cots for _someone’s_ baby.” She grinned, turning the laptop around to show him a picture of a white baby bed with blue painted designs. “I’m thinking this one.”

“Oh,” Greg said, his mind turning. He had been thinking about something for a while now, and it seemed like this would be an appropriate time to bring up the subject. He shut the laptop and moved it to the coffee table and helped her sit up. “Listen, Kate, I’ve been thinking about… cots. And it seems to me that right now we need two cots. But where are we going to put them?” He said slowly, trying to figure out where exactly he was heading. But Kate was well ahead of him, biting back a wide, bright smile, hands on her belly.

“Spit it out, Gregory.” She said, unable to look him in the eye as she held back her excitement.

“Kate Gordon,” He said with a mock sigh. “Will you help me pick out a new flat? For all three of us?” He knew he didn’t have to ask her to move in with him. They practically already lived together, going between his flat and hers depending on what they needed and, more often lately, whose was closer so they could get beneath the sheets faster.

“Of course I will, Greg.” She said with a muted squeal as she threw her arms about his neck and pulled him tight. He wrapped his arms around her, taking in her smell and enjoying the feel of her heartbeat, the light flutters coming from her stomach when she got excited. For a moment, he almost thanked whatever powers out there that he was too stupid to use a condom, but laughed the idea out of his head.

But yes, he was happier now than he had been in his marriage. And yes, in some strange way, he was happy this had all happened to him.

They set out that weekend to look at flats in Central London, though they ventured out a bit to see if there was anything worth it. Within a couple weeks, they had found the perfect flat and signed all the proper forms. The move was very slow, Greg having to be mindful of what Kate could and couldn’t do and occasionally having to physically stop her from trying to do to much. But they were mostly unpacked by the time she hit week twenty-eight, and they finally got to settle in.

They made it to a new milestone, having moved in together. Which normally would have happened before having a baby, but either way they were now ready for the arrival of their son.

… Except they still hadn’t bought the cot…

 

 

  
In February, Kate had called Molly in a panic. Laura, her friend who had been in charge of planning the shower, could no longer plan it as she got a promotion at her work and had too much to do. Kate explained that it was almost done, but a few things were missing - such as a host, despite it being at Kate and Greg’s flat.

Molly, stuttering, said that she didn’t deserve the honor, nor had she ever planned a baby shower before. But Kate begged, saying that she would help, she just needed someone to “pin” the shower onto as a host. Eventually Molly was worn down and agreed.

Come May, Kate could not have been more pleased with the outcome. Molly had come up with a couple foods to serve, and found a recipe for a cake. She came over that morning and the two friends cooked up a party, quite literally. At thirty-one-and-a-half weeks, it was becoming hard for Kate to do much, but she managed to get the cake together with only one shirt ruined.

They were having so much fun, Kate almost forgot that other guests were coming, Greg not included. He thought the shower was dumb and girly and he wanted no part of it so he was out doing god-knows-what, but she assumed it had something to do with the Walters family that Greg had been rushing off to try to catch in the middle of the fucking night.

When everyone arrived, there were hugs and belly rubs and giggles all around. Mary had come, as had two of Kate’s friends. Otherwise it was family, including Kate’s aunts, a distant-but-loved cousin (who had four kids already), and Kate’s mummy, who was just as excited about the baby as Kate. Molly could see the resemblance in appearance and personality.

“Mary,” Kate said when they had all gotten seated in the lounge. Kate would love to be standing, but her feet were nearly too swollen to fit in her shoes so she reluctantly agreed to sit. “Have you and John talked about having your own little ones?”

Marry smiled sheepishly. “Briefly, but we’re waiting until we get married, I think. Oh, speaking of, I have your and Greg’s invitations in my bag.”

“Oh, lovely!” Kate said. “But, I might not be able to make it, sweetie. Baby Danny will be here, god help, and I don’t know how right I’ll be feeling or if I really want to bring a newborn to your wedding.”

Mary took Kate’s hands in her much smaller ones. “Oh, bless. That’s quite alright, darling. If you can’t make it, I won’t blame y-- oh, why are you crying, sweet Kate?”

“I have the most lovely friends!” She said, not truly crying, just letting a couple tears roll down her cheeks. “Plus I think my ankles my actually explode right now.” That got a laugh out of them.

Her friends and family had been so very generous, and the apartment was strewn with clothes and packs of nappies and dummies and cover cloths, since Kate was going to breast feed. She waved them all off, except for Molly, and they just collapsed onto the couch together, Kate with her feet propped up on the coffee table.

“No, no, too tired to clean this up. Don’t you worry your little head, Molly.” Kate said, sighing heavily as she closed her eyes for just a moment. “I’ll get Greg to help me tomorrow.”

After a bit of silence, in which Molly got up and made tea for the two of them, Kate looked at her friend for a long time. “Molly,” She spoke after a considerable time. “I was wondering… if you would like to be Danny’s godmother?” She sounded meek and unsure, because she was.

Molly squeaked loudly and spilled her tea on her lap. “ _Oh my god!_ ” She exclaimed, partially from the heat of the heat. “Yes, oh, oh goodness! I would love to!”

As best she could, Kate hugged Molly tight. “Thank you, Molly. I’m so pleased, I’m so glad we became friends.”

“Me too, Katie.” Molly returned the hug, and they were still in the embrace when Greg walked through the door.

“Oh, good god, it looks like a nursery exploded.” He scoffed, taking off his jacket. “Hello, Molly.”

“Oh, hi, Greg. I better go.” Molly said, wiping a tear from her eye and standing. She gave Kate a kiss goodbye and hugged Greg before leaving. Greg took her spot on the couch, and Kate instantly laid her head in his lap.

“Hi, little Kate.” He said gently, his fingers in her hair.

“Hello, daddy.” She said with a sleepy grin. “What have you been up to?”

“Just a chat with John and discussing this stupid case with Sherlock. This Walters family is killing me, I tell you.” He leaned his head back in annoyance. “He is no bloody help- and I mean that very literally, he refuses to do any of his brain stuff, says it’s not worth his time.”

When he looked down at the mother of his child, he couldn’t help but laugh. She was fast asleep in his lap. The shower must have taken a lot out of her. He didn’t want to disturb her, so he turned on the telly and watched something boring until he fell asleep as well.

 

 

  
Kate’s due date came… and went. Greg was often startled to see his very pregnant girlfriend waddle-stomping through the flat about to tear her hair out. “Swear to god I’m going to rip this baby out myself.” She would say before demanding he have sex with her right then to try to make labor come on. At first it had been a blessing, but now he was too sore to even want to think about sex. He winced at the thought and when he could hear the tone she would get, he would make up an excuse and leave until she would calm down. She was on Maternity leave, and so with all her time she had nothing to do but nest. The nursery had been rearranged every day for the past week, she had hung and rehung pictures, the kitchen was completely spotless. It was actually driving him completely mad.

The doctor told her everything was fine, even when, 3 days past due, she began cramping. It had been bad enough to wake her from her sleep, but she walked about the flat like normal, just taking a few more moments of stretching it out.

At 5am the next morning, the contractions finally started, and she spent most of the morning in a warm bath with her legs up over the side. He had to go in every once in a while because she tended to fall asleep in there, and he really didn’t fancy her drowning.

Contractions were light, just causing her to take a deep breath and close her eyes, but they were still spaced 8 minutes apart by the next morning. She only got a bit of sleep, though she made sure he got all the sleep he could.

Eventually her doctor told her to come on down to the hospital, and they sat for some few hours while he made a decision. Because she still didn’t want any drugs, he sent her back home, where the contractions stopped, and she managed to sleep for several hours before they started back again the next morning, much stronger and slower than before.

“Fuck you, Greg. You are never having sex with me again.” She hissed during one particularly bad contraction, the pain hitting her like a wave as her stomach and uterus tightened. But they were 10 minutes apart now, with no sign of coming sooner. He kissed her despite how angry she pretended to be, and headed into work.

“I’m just a text away, and I’m not leaving the office unless there is a national goddamn emergency. Any murder can be handled by another officer for today.” He was reassuring himself with that, she was the one telling him to go to work. Before he shut the door, he peaked back to her. “You sure you don’t want the drugs?”

“I’m bloody fucking sure, get out.” She gasped, squatting down beside the bed to try to find the best position for riding out the contractions.

He chuckled and shut the door, his heart fluttering. He felt bad for how much pain she was in, but it was really happening, she was going to have the baby soon. He made a quick prayer to… whatever might be out there, that his lovely girlfriend and his baby boy would both be safe and healthy.

Greg could barely concentrate on his work, rubbing his eyes and groaning at the thought that she could need him with her right now, but he was at work, trying to do what she said she wanted. Maybe he was supposed to fight her, and stay by her side. But she had never played those head games, the ‘do what I want not what I say’ games that men complained about women doing all the time. She didn’t do that.

_Darling, how are you doing? - GL_

_Fucking peachy. -KG_

_Do you need me to come home? - GL_

_No, I’m fine sweetie. I’ll text you if anything changes. -KG_

He couldn’t help but grin at how easy to was to tell when she was or wasn’t having a contraction, based solely on her texts.

Several hours later, he finally got the text he had been waiting for, or maybe dreading, or maybe begging for. He wasn’t sure. But it came form Molly’s number instead of Kate’s.

_Taking Kate to the hospital. Her waters broke, baby is definitely coming. - MH_

He grabbed his jacket and ran out of his office. He nearly plowed into Sally on the way.

“Hey, where are you going?” Sally called after him.

“Sorry, having a baby, can’t talk!” He yelled back, vaguely aware that she said something in return, but he didn’t catch it. Greg made it to the car and out onto the streets in record time, but traffic was horrifyingly heavy. He sat at just about every light and stop on the way, trying to resist the temptation to turn on the sirens and police lights. It was an emergency, but not exactly a police emergency.

_8cm!_

_9cm!_

He made it to the hospital, parking haphazardly and making a mad dash inside. He panted at the receptionist, who was begging him to calm down.

“Girlfriend, having a baby. _Right now._ Her name is Kate Gordon.”

She gave him speedy directions to the room she was in, and he took off in another run down the hall, scaring a nurse on his way, but he made it to the room. He opened the door, out of breath and flustered as hell. Kate was in the birthing pool, Molly kneeling beside her and pressing a cool cloth to the back of her neck. Kate’s mum and dad were there, sitting by rather more calmly than Greg.

“Oh, look, Kate, Greg made it.” Molly whispered, moving away so that the shaky detective could take her spot kneeling in the floor. He took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze. She seemed relatively calm, but she was completely exhausted, sweaty, and trying to breathe through the contraction she was having.

“I’m so sorry, my little Kate,” He whispered over and over, kissing her forehead. The doctor in the pool with her looked up at him with a smile.

“Good timing, baby is ready to meet his mum and dad.”

Greg whispered to her as she pushed on doctors commands, peppering her with kisses. He was relatively sure that she was breaking every bone in his hand, howling in pain after each push, but he just kept reassuring her how well she was doing and how proud he was.

It took fifteen minutes, but baby Daniel came at last, and both parents fell silent when he was in Kate’s arms. Kate finally began laughing, completely drained of all energy she might have had, but she had her baby.

“You did so well, Kate.” Greg whispered, kissing her temple and placing his hand on top her hers as she cradled their son against her chest. He got to cut the cord before the attending nurse took his son away to make sure all was well.

Kate finally got some rest for the first time in days, and Greg held his son in a haze, pacing the room. When he ran out of lovely things to say to his newborn baby, he just stared. After each having a turn to hold him, Kate’s parents and Molly had gone for a while to leave dad with his son while they got something to eat, and Greg was thankful for that. He needed a little while to compose himself.

Kate woke up when Daniel began crying, not long after she had initially went to sleep, and she tugged on Greg’s shirt as he passed. “Bring him here, I need to feed him.” She just knew somehow, and she pulled her gown down when Daniel was handed down to her. It took a couple tries, but she got him latched on and feeding, trying to get used to the strange sensation.

Greg sat on the edge of the bed, smiling like a great fool. “Lookitthat, a natural mum.” He touched her face gently when she smiled back at him. The nurse came in, pleased that Kate was feeding, and checked to make sure everything was going well.

“Oh, and Greg,” Kate said, stroking Daniel’s cheek gently as he sucked. “No sex for the next six years, doctor’s orders.”

The nurse, not yet left, started giggling. “I think it’s actually six weeks, not quite six years.”

“Oh, no, definitely six years. He can’t even come near me with a hard-on for six years, and when we can have sex I have to be on the pill and have a diaphragm and he has to wear a condom and have a vasectomy.” The nurse was trying not to fall over by this point.

“Oh, give it a few months, you’ll be willing to do it all again.” She said, grinning as she left the room. Greg snuck another kiss.

“Jesus Christ, Kate.” He breathed out finally. “I’m a fuckin’ father.”

“You’re not the one who pushed out a watermelon, do you _see_ this kid’s head?” She laughed, showing him that lovely toothy smile he saw on the first day he met her.

He realized he hadn’t had a drink in a long, long time.

 

 

  
It took another year and a half before Kate had a wedding ring and a new last name. Greg always found it funny, they did it backwards. They had Daniel far before they got married. It no longer mattered to him that he was twenty-three years older than she was. They were a family now, not an oddity.

Daniel was growing rapidly, as was their life. Kate Lestrade left her job and opened a studio, providing some of the best photography in the entirety of London. Danny was speaking little by little and walking and surprising Greg around every turn. And Greg was just happy with his sweet little wife and his precious son.

Sunlight streamed through the bedroom of their flat, the same one he and Kate had picked out some time ago, when it was just one man and one woman and two different lives. He woke to a familiar pressure on his abdomen, Kate’s favorite way of waking him up. His eyes fluttered open to see her sitting on his stomach with the most deadpan stare he had ever seen, toothbrush hanging out of her mouth. Daniel was at his grandparent’s house, he recalled sleepily, and that generally meant morning sex, but she was completely dressed and clearly did not have bedroom eyes. The toothbrush wasn't exactly sex material, either.

“What is it, luv?” He asked, rubbing is eyes.

“You’re a sorry little shit, you know that?” She said, taking the toothbrush out of her mouth and pointing at him aggressively. He was a bit shocked.

“Wha?”

She pulled out a white piece of plastic from the pocket of her jacket and flashed it to him. “A sorry little shit, I tell you, Greg.” She was grinning like she had just heard the greatest joke in the entire world. He blinked a few times, trying to get the item into focus. Then he mirrored her grin and took it from her, holding it up.

“It better be a girl this time."


End file.
